YourVoice.Now Summary
Civil LibertiesYour MoneyTransparency & AccountabilityFederal elections would take a photo ID at the polls — and a copy of it by mail.
Civil Liberties
Troops posted away from home would vote by mail the same way they do now. So would older and disabled voters who already have the right to vote away from a polling place.
Officials could not hand a regular ballot to anyone who does not show a photo ID in person. The bill says the ID must be physical, so a picture of it on your phone would not count.
Five things would count: a state driver's license or ID card, a U.S. passport, a military or VA card, and a tribal ID. Student IDs and work badges would not, and most of the five must show an expiration date.
You would still get a ballot, but it would be set aside. It would not count unless you show an ID within three days. You could sign a form instead if your faith does not allow photos of you.
Mail voters would pick one of three ways to prove who they are. One is a copy of a photo ID. Another is a notary's signature on the ballot. The third is the last four digits of your Social Security number, plus a signed note that you tried and could not get an ID.
Your Money
Courts, libraries, police stations, and other public buildings would have to let you copy or scan a photo ID for free. The bill adds that states must do this only so far as it is practical.
The Election Assistance Commission, a federal agency, would pay any state or tribe that hands out free driver's licenses or ID cards. To get one, you would have to swear you cannot pay the fee. The bill does not set a total.
Transparency & Accountability
States would have to tell people about the ID rules when they sign up to vote. Online sign-up systems would have to show the notice before a person finishes registering.
Today the Attorney General can sue a state in federal court over four parts of the voting law. The bill would widen that to the whole first part of the title. That would take in the new ID rule.
More about this bill
You would need to show a photo ID to vote in a federal election. Election officials could not give you a regular ballot without one. Only five kinds of ID would count, such as a driver's license, passport, or tribal ID. You could still cast a provisional ballot without ID. It would count only if you showed an ID within three days. A signed statement works instead if you object to being photographed for religious reasons. Mail voting would change too. You would have to send a copy of your photo ID with your ballot. You could instead send the last four digits of your Social Security number with a signed statement. A notary's signature would also work. Overseas troops and some voters with disabilities would be exempt. States would have to offer free copiers at libraries, courts, and police stations. A new grant program would pay states and tribes to give free IDs to people who cannot afford the fee. The rules would start 90 days after the bill becomes law.
Congressional Summary
Voter ID ActThis bill establishes certain photo identification requirements for voting in federal elections.Specifically, the bill prohibits a state or local election official from providing a ballot for a federal election to an individual who does not present valid physical photo identification.Next, the bill outlines the availability of provisional ballots and the requirements for counting those ballots. An individual who does not present a valid photo identification must be permitted to cast a provisional ballot. However, an election official may not determine that the individual is eligible under state law to vote in the election unless, not later than three days after casting the provisional ballot, the individual presents (1) the identification required, or (2) an affidavit attesting that the individual does not possess the identification because of a religious objection to being photographed.An election official may not allow for voting methods other than in-person voting unless the individual (1) submits the ballot with a copy of their photo identification or the last four digits of their Social Security number with an affidavit attesting that the individual is unable to obtain a copy of a valid photo identification after making reasonable efforts to obtain a copy, or (2) includes a notarization attesting that the individual has personally marked the ballot. This prohibition shall not apply to overseas military voters and certain disabled or elderly voters.The Election Assistance Commission must make grants to states and tribal governments that provide eligible individuals with free valid photo identification.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Reported to House
- Action Date
- 2026-07-15
- Date Added
- 2026-07-18
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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